Mail-box support.



J. T. CONRAD.

MAIL BOX SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-23. m5.

1,216,951. Patented Feb. 20,1917.

JESSE T. CONRAD, OF WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA;

MAIL-BOX SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Application filed October 23, 1915. Serial No. 57,540.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn T. CONRAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winston-Salem, R. F. D. 2, in the county of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improve-v bring the box to-convenient position to receive the mail, and thereafter restore the box and mechanism to normal position, with very little effort and great convenience to both the mail carrier and the recipient of the mail.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a mechanism, whereby the box can only be brought to position to receive the mail, by the manipulation of a particular part thereof, the box being locked against upward movement unless such particular part is manipulated.

An object of the invention is toso construct the device that the box will be supported upon a lower normal level than the level at which it receives the mail, so that the mail carrier, who usually travels in a vehicle or is mounted upon horseback, may bring the box to convenient position toreceive the mail, or a height greater than that desirable or convenient when mail is'being removed.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the parts so that the normal and abnormal levels may be varied at will.

In devices of this character, it is not desirable to locate the standard or support so near the beaten track of the road as to become a menace to travel, and I have therefore devised a mechanism, whereby the post or support for the box may be located well to the side of the road, but at the same time, be easily available to the mail carrier with the assistance of a rod provided with a hook or other device, by which he may conveniently draw the box toward him for the deposit of mail, and push it in the reverse direction, after the mail has been deposited.

With these and other objects in view, looking to cheapness in construction, durability, and efficiency in operation,the invention consists in the subject-matter embodied in the clalms appended to the specification.

It will be understood that the device may be varied in details of construction, without departing from the spirit of the invention, an embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,'in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showingit in normal position, or the position the box would occupy farthest from the road;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the opposite position of the device, or one in which the mail is deposited. 7

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view ofpart of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; 1

Fig.4 is a reduced perspective view of the device in normal position;

Fig. 5 is an enlargedperspective view of the clip which-supports the pivoted boss and which serves as a stop to limit the move? ment of the platform and box in the limit of itsoutward movement; and p r Fig. 6 is a detail of oneof the clamps, slightly enlarged. V

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a post or standard to which the box supporting platform and mechanism to which it is attached, are secured. This post is located in a convenient position on the roadside and is provided at its top with apertures 2, which receive the inturned ends of the rods 3 and 4, which in this, or a simple embodiment of the invention, comprise the swinging frame.

, As shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that there are two sets of these rods which, by reason of the manner of pivoting them to the standard, and box supporting platform,

are maintained at all times in substantial parallelism, regardless of their angular relation to the post.

.The numeral 5 designates a platform on each side of which is provided a metallic strip 6 formed with eyes 7 for the reception of outwardly turnedends 8 of therods-3 and 4. -There are two of these strips, one

near each end of the platform and they are secured rigidly to the platform by means of screws or bolts 9. This platform.sup-

ports the mail box 10, which may be secured to the platform in any suitable manner, and it will be understood that the mail box may be of any approved construction. Spanning the rods 3, about midway of their for the reception of the end of the rod 17 r the mail carrier,

which is bent to form an arm 18, provided at its upper end with an eye 19, for the re: ception of a hook or instrument carried by for shifting the box from one extreme position to the other. This rod 17 is provided with an eye 20, for the reception of the inner end of the threaded rod 21, which passes through a threaded aperture in a lug 22, pivoted upon a rod 23, between two ears 24, integral with the upper section 25, ofa clamp 26. This clamp 26 comprises the upper section 25 and two short lower sections 27 the clamp sections being secured together by nut bolts 28;

It will be recognized by reference to Fig. 2, that the rods 17 and 21 constitute a toggle lever, and the rod or arm 17 a joint breaking lever, and by this appliance, the rods or arms 3 and 4: are positively held locked against spreading or rocking so long as the box 10 is in normal or mail receiving position. By merely swinging the arm 17 in the eye 20 as a pivot, the lever will be broken and thus permit the box to be raised.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted thatwhenthe box is in normal position, part of the rod 17 which is extended beyond the eye 20, rests upon the inner end of the threaded rod 21, which obviously prevents the box from being lifted until the arm 18 is lifted, in which event the rod 21 swings with the lug 22, and with the rod 17, permitting "upward or shifting movement of the box. Itwill also be noted that when the extreme opposite position is reached, or the position shown in Fig. 2, the inner portion of the rod 21 will be brought into engagement with the cross piece 22 of the clamp 26, thus limiting the movement of the box in this particular direction.

It will be noted that the rod 21 is threaded to the pivoted lug 22. This permits the rod to be adjusted within the lug, shortening or lengthening its operative connection with said lug, thereby varying the stroke of the arms, which arrangement, in connection with the adjustable clamp, makes it possible to predetermine the normal and abnormal-positions of the box, at any height desired within the scope of the movement of the frame.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. l, which it will be understood is the position in which the box is farthest from the road, the eye 19 is engaged by a hook carried by the mail carrier, who exerts a pull. This will obviously, break the substantial alinement of the rods 17 and 21, and cause the rod 21 to rock the lug 22 thus permitting the arms 3 and a and parts carried thereby, to be rocked to the position shown in Fig. 2, which move- I ment, as already described, is arrested by reason of the end of the rod 21 coming into engagement with the cross arm 22 of the clamp 26. The box will then be in position to receive the mail, and after the insertion thereof, the whole box may be readily pushed to normal position.

I have shown the device constructed, in the main, of rods, but it will be understood that the equivalents of these parts may be plates stamped out of metal or other suitable material, and provided with suitable cut away portions, to permit the operation of the ties now shown between the rods, and the plates provided with suitable studs for conveniently pivoting them to the post, and to the box holding platform.

It will be noted that in the operation of shifting th'ebox, the weight ofthe box will automatically carry the frame from one extreme position to the other, after the center of the post has been passed, thus greatly facilitating the use of the device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a mail box support, the combination with a standard, of a frame pivoted to said standard and provided with a support for the box, said support being pivotally connected with the frame, an element carried by the frame, adapted to lock the frame against upward movement, said element being adapted to release thelock by swinging movement in one direction of the frame, and upon the reverse movement of the frame automatically to reset the lock, and permit the frame and support carried thereby, to

be shifted upon the standard.

2. In a mail box support, in combination, a suitable standard, twoarms pivotally secured to the standard, at opposite sides thereof, the arms being spaced apart from each other, a platform pivotally connected to the ends of the arm farthest from the standard, a link pivotally connected to one arm and a link pivotally connected to the other arm, said links being pivotally connectedwith each other at a point intermediate of their pivotal points .on the arms, and means operating upon the central pivotal point to rock the links to permit the arms and parts carried thereby, to be moved from normal to abnormal position, means for limiting the movement of the arms in normal position, and means for limiting the movement of'the arms in abnormal position.

3. In a mailbox support, in combination, a standard, of two arms pivoted to the standard and spaced apart from each other, a platform pivotally connected to the arms farthest from the standard, an adjustable clamp carried by one arm, and a pivoted lug carried by the other arm, a link connected With the clamp, and another link connected with the pivoted lug, the links being pivotally connected at a point intermediate of their pivotal points in the clamp and lug, of an arm carried by the link pivoted to the clamp, said arm being provided with means adapted to engage the second link to prevent upward movement of the arm, except when forceto shift the arms is applied to the arm carried by the first mentioned link.

4. A mail box support comprising a standard, a platform, pairs of rods pivotally connecting the parts, and means for locking the rods against movement embodying two interlinked arms connectedfor swinging movement with the rods and arranged, when in alinement, to maintain the latter in rigid relation to each other, and when in angular disposition to permit the arms to swing.

V 5. A mail box support comprising a standard, a platform, pairs of rods pivotally connecting the parts, and means for locking the rods against movement embodying two interlinked arms connected for swinging movement with the rods and arranged,'when in alinement, to maintain the latter in rigid relation to each other, and when in angular disposition to permit the arms to swing, one of the arms being provided with an extension constituting a releasing member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE T. CONRAD. Witnesses:

J. W. WALKER, J. PFAFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

